Currently, the most common methods for hair removal involve the use of hair removal creams, as well as shaving, waxing and electrolysis. Although creams and shaving are popular because they can be readily used at home, they are inadequate because they must be used on a regular basis. Waxing and electrolysis offer longer term hair removal. Both methods, however, can be time-consuming and are often quite painful. For example, removing a typical mustache which contains 1,000 to 2,000 hairs by electrolysis may take up to 50 visits before the hair removal is complete.
More recently, lasers alone or in conjunction with topical formulations containing carbon particles, hair dyes, hematoporphin derivatives or aminolevulinic acid have been used for hair removal (See, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,226,907 and 5,425,728; Grossman, M. et al. Lasers Surg. Med. Suppl. 7:44 (1995)). Such treatments are generally not selective in that they result in only partial destruction of hair follicles and may promote skin reaction.
Accordingly, there exists a need for selectively removing hair that is not time consuming, painful and damaging to the skin, and results in hair removal which is long lasting, and more permanent than conventional hair removal methods. The present invention satisfies this need.